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From January 1, 2025, Slovakia will include medicines and medical devices in the reduced VAT rate of 5%. This move is part of a broader tax reform aimed at improving access to essential goods for the population while reducing the financial burden on patients. The changes are likely a response to the European Commission’s assessment of public finances and an effort to reduce the budget deficit.

This change contrasts with developments in the Czech Republic, where, as of January 1, 2024, the VAT rate on medicines increased from the original 10% to 12%, as we mentioned in our previous article Changes in VAT Rate for Pharmaceuticals.

What Impact Will the Reduced VAT Rate Have in Slovakia?

The lower VAT rate is expected to significantly reduce costs for patients in Slovakia for medical devices and medicines, both in outpatient and hospital care. The direct financial impact on individuals will depend on specific measures and pricing policies. For comparison, Slovakia’s VAT on medicines has dropped from 10% to 5%, which could lead to a more noticeable impact on final prices than in the Czech Republic, where the rate was increased.

Impact on External Price Referencing for Medicines

The reduced VAT rate in Slovakia, however, will not affect the external price referencing (EPR) of medicines, used by some countries to set maximum prices and reimbursement levels in their markets. The VAT change does not reflect in EPR because the reference price is almost universally based on the manufacturer’s price.

At the same time, this change offers an opportunity to compare tax policies across the EU, where VAT rates on medicines and medical devices vary significantly. For example, according to data from EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) as of January 1, 2024, Spain applies a 4% VAT rate on medicines, while Denmark has a standard rate of 25%.

Stay tuned to our website for more updates on legislative changes and their impact on healthcare in the EU.

The European Health Data Space should lead to the empowerment of citizens and support for research and innovation.

EU residents will have more control over their health data, being able to access it electronically and share it across borders. This is particularly beneficial for cross-border healthcare, allowing individuals to access medical records and receive care seamlessly throughout the EU.

The EHDS promotes the secondary use of health data for research, innovation, and policy-making. Researchers and innovators will be able to access health data more easily and securely, which could drive the development of new treatments, medical devices, and AI applications.

The main objectives of the European Health Data Space (source: excerpt from the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council: The European Health Data Space: Harnessing the power of health data for people, patients, and innovation):  

CTIS was established by pharmaceutical law in the Clinical Trials Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 536/2014) and will completely replace the previous system for clinical trials EudraCT (European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database) after 30th January 2025. CTIS supports interactions between clinical trial sponsors (researchers or companies that run a clinical trial and collect and analyse the data) and regulatory authorities in the EU Member States and EEA countries, throughout the lifecycle of a clinical trial.

CTIS is guaranteed by European Medicines agency (EMA) and works in a secured workspace.

The important milestones for clinical trials:

• CT starts after 30^th January 2023 – the submission must be completed through CTIS
• CT ends before 30^th January 2025 – CT is maintained in EudraCT or national systems
• CT is expected to continue after 30^th January 2025 – transition from the EudraCT or national systems to the CTIS is necessary.